Journal of Proceed inqfi. • xxiii 



Mr. Kobarts and Mr. Fisher Unwin suggested that the Library should 

 be confined to works of scientific, local, or topographical interest. The 

 President fully agreed, and thought the Librarian should be authorised to 

 decline with thanks works which were not of scientific value ; but that 

 the Club should accept all books of scientific interest, whether local 

 or not. 



Mr. Walker referred to the beautiful drawings and preparations 

 contained in the late Mr. Andrew Murray's collections at the Bethnal 

 Green Museum, as being typical of what they would wish to see in their 

 own Museum. 



Mr. Wall, F.G.S., said we had nothing in this country to vie with the 

 Museums of Melbourne and Sydney as educational Museums. At 

 Melbourne Prof, von Miiller had arranged a collection which would bear 

 comparison with any Museum in the world for educational value. He 

 quoted his own experience during his travels as emphasising what had 

 been urged with regard to the great value of local Museums, and the 

 knowledge of, and taste for, various branches of Natural History which 

 they were likely to promote. 



The next business upon the agenda paper was, "Exhibition and 

 Description of Flint Flakes."— Mr. Worthington Smith, F.L.S., F.E.H.S., 

 &c." 



Unfortunately Mr. Smith was detained in London; but he sent a 

 collection of Flakes, and at a short notice the President undertook to 

 fill his place by giving a general idea of the lines of argument which had 

 led them to state positively that there had been a Stone Age. Flint 

 "flakes" and other implements were continually being brought under 

 their notice, and many members of the Club had come to him with 

 questions which showed that they were entirely unaccustomed to that 

 simple mode of interpreting facts which had led to the belief in the 

 existence of a Stone Age in this and in other countries. That a Stone 

 Age had existed was shown by a variety of proofs. The evidence was not 

 obtained from any single specimens, nor was it based upon an isolated set 

 of facts, but there was a consensus of e\idence. Mr. Meldola thought 

 that a few general remarks upon this interesting subject might be useful, 

 as serving to prepare the way for those more special pajiers which they 

 hoped to get from Mr. Worthington Smith and other members of the Club 

 who were doing detailed work in this field. 



Passing on to the consideration of the various kinds of evidence, the 

 President first called attention to the peat-bogs of Denmark, in which the 

 data were chronological ; there was clear evidence of a succession in time. 

 At a certain depth were found fossil Pines associated with stone imple- 

 ments of undoubted human workmanship. At a later age — a less depth 

 — there were fossil Oaks, with implements of bronze ; and at still later 

 date the Beech was found in association with weapons of iron. Tlius 

 from one locality they had evidence of the use successively of stone, 

 bronze, and iron. But of course that did not mean that at any given 



